Main Panel Grounding

[TexMedium]

I am about to start re-piping the whole house with PEX, and will need to run new wire for the main electrical panel grounding. The house was built in 1959, and still has it's original split buss Federal Pacific Electric panel with FUSES. We've been here sixteen years and have not had to replace but a handful. The service is 200amps. As such, i think i need a 6awg wire from the panel to the clamp on the water main coming into the house. This assumption was from googling around on some NEC charts. Six awg, continuous from the neutral bar to the clamp on the water pipe. Am i correct?

 

[PCustoms]

Going to need 2 grounding rods. Can't really ground to PEX pipe....

 

[TexMedium]

Not grounding to the PEX pipe! Sheesh!!! The water main into the house is COPPER. Three-quarter inch Type K COPPER. The grounding clamp goes on the COPPER. The grounding clamp on the COPPER PIPE will now be much further from the panel than it currently is. Is SIX GAUGE WIRE the correct size for the 200amp main panel? The meter pan outside has the grounding rods. Not being changed or addressed here.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Not grounding to the PEX pipe! Sheesh!!! The water main into the house is COPPER. Three-quarter inch Type K COPPER. The grounding clamp goes on the COPPER. The grounding clamp on the COPPER PIPE will now be much further from the panel than it currently is. Is SIX GAUGE WIRE the correct size for the 200amp main panel? The meter pan outside has the grounding rods. Not being changed or addressed here.

negative

It depends on the size of the ungrounded conductors (hot legs) feeding the service

for 200a service, that should be 2/0 copper or 4/0 aluminum. Per table 250.102(c)(1), you need #4 cu

 

[PCustoms]

Wylie, is he grounding or bonding?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

this would be bonding, so as to allow breakers to clear fault current when ungrounded conductors contact metallic pathways that are not intended to be energized.

 

[Metal-Marc]

I would let the electrician who is replacing the main fuse panel install the new grounds.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I would let the electrician who is replacing the main fuse panel install the new grounds.

who said anything about replacing an electrical panel?

 

[TexMedium]

negative

It depends on the size of the ungrounded conductors (hot legs) feeding the service

for 200a service, that should be 2/0 copper or 4/0 aluminum. Per table 250.102(c)(1), you need #4 cu

this would be bonding, so as to allow breakers to clear fault current when ungrounded conductors contact metallic pathways that are not intended to be energized.

who said anything about replacing an electrical panel?

Thank you for this constructive information. I missed that chart, it seems. I was looking at 250.122, i think. And, there was a bit of wishful thinking on my part, as i have quite a bit of 6awg THHN, it is even green,too. I guess i'll just have to spend some of my moldy money for some 4awg. Not too bad, though, way less than 100 feet. Again, many thanks for steering me straight.

 

[TexMedium]

Oh, and you are also correct on the last point. I AM NOT replacing the panel. Not now, or ever, except at the point of a gun. The panel is original to the house and dry as a bone inside and out. And in sixteen years here, i've replaced two 20's and five 15's. And most of those were because i forgot to turn off the compressor before i lit off the circular saw!

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Thank you for this constructive information. I missed that chart, it seems. I was looking at 250.122, i think. And, there was a bit of wishful thinking on my part, as i have quite a bit of 6awg THHN, it is even green,too. I guess i'll just have to spend some of my moldy money for some 4awg. Not too bad, though, way less than 100 feet. Again, many thanks for steering me straight.

Table 250.122 is for EGC sizing. wrong table....